


Lucius Malfoy and the Cora Foundation

by PrettyPinkCupcake



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Rigel Black Chronicles - murkybluematter
Genre: Fanfiction of Fanfiction, Gen, Inspired by The Rigel Black Chronicles, Lucius Malfoy being a prat, Rigelverse, Set after the Quidditch World Cup in Futile Facade, murkybluematter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-17
Updated: 2020-09-17
Packaged: 2021-03-08 03:02:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,846
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26518669
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PrettyPinkCupcake/pseuds/PrettyPinkCupcake
Summary: [Fanfiction of murkybluematter's Rigel Black Chronicles.  Set after the Quidditch World Cup (Chapter 4) of Futile Facade.]Harriet Potter's tale of Cora and the challenges facing underprivileged children in need of life saving potions led to Lucius Malfoy and Sirius Black promising donations to fund these potions.Harry was pleased with her performance, but what did Lucius Malfoy think?  And what happened next to establish the Cora Foundation?
Comments: 17
Kudos: 95
Collections: Rigel Black Chronicles Appreciation





	Lucius Malfoy and the Cora Foundation

**Author's Note:**

> This will only make sense to fans of murkybluematter's Pureblood Pretense, Serpentine Subterfuge, Ambiguous Artifice and the Futile Facade.
> 
> If you haven't read these works, you've missed something significant in the world of Harry Potter FanFiction, so what are you waiting for? Read them!

Lord Lucius Malfoy was incensed. Not only had a 14 year old halfblood girl blithely insinuated at the Quidditch World Cup - in front of the Minister, no less! - that his charitable donations were more self-serving than charitable, but she’d somehow manipulated him into donating more money to St Mungos than he’d intended, and without the lasting recognition that he was accustomed to. 

Lucius didn’t like being manipulated. Not by Lord Riddle, (just because he accepted the necessity of his Lord’s manipulations, didn’t change his displeasure), not by Severus, not by Narcissa, not by Draco, and certainly not by that damnably innocent looking butter-won’t-melt-in-my-mouth 14 year old Potter chit. 

He liked being made out to be a self-serving politician (even if he was one, and even if it was to a largely irrelevant audience, Minister notwithstanding) even less.

What made it worse was that Narcissa believed the Potter girl’s account of underprivileged urchins denied the lifesaving treatment they needed. Lucius might not have his son’s empathic abilities, but he knew his wife. Narcissa’s compassionate and caring nature made her particularly susceptible to the tale of woe so masterfully woven by that impudent child.

He, on the other hand, didn’t believe a word coming out of the little miscreant’s mouth. Not only was Lucius an accomplished liar himself, but he spent his days surrounded by liars, some more proficient than others. He was a politician for goodness sake! Of course he recognised the calm confidence of a consummate liar spinning a tale.

There was a reason that Lucius, rather than Narcissa, was the politician in the family. Narcissa was too soft, too unworldly and cocooned from the nastier aspects of society, to make the hard and oftimes unpalatable decisions that Lucius knew were required of a society’s leaders. 

Lucius understood what Narcissa never would, that there was often ugliness beneath the polished and glittering facade. He did what had to be done because someone had to do it, however irksome those tasks might be.

(In the depths of his heart Lucius knew that his warmhearted wife would never forgive him if she found out the exact details of his role in the sleeping sickness debacle of Draco’s first year. Or his knowledge of the basilisk in Draco’s second year. Nor would she have the stomach to make the arrangements for the events Lord Riddle planned for this coming year).

Thankfully Draco didn’t believe the story the chit was telling and had the fortitude to question the girl about the details of her little story. Unfortunately the girl was too smooth and practiced to be caught out, pulling a name and a happy ending out of thin air.

At least his deplorable cousin-in-law Sirius Black was also down on galleons after his promise to match Lucius’s donation. 

Sirius’s wholehearted enthusiasm in support of the girl was annoying, but it was nothing more than he would expect from the current Lord Black. A disgrace to his house and his family. 

At least Sirius’s heir, Rigel Black, showed promise. A shame Rigel hadn’t been at the Quidditch World Cup. Lucius was certain Rigel would have reined in his pseudo cousin before the situation got out of hand.

Still, the whole thing rankled, and despite his best efforts at breakfast that morning, Narcissa had not been interested in Lucius’s very reasonable contention that the Potter Heiress was a first class liar without an ounce of truth to her tale. 

Narcissa was very upset at the idea that a child (even one of no consequence) could die because there were insufficient funds for potions to treat them. 

She couldn’t see why the truth or otherwise of Potter’s tale mattered; for Narcissa it was enough that such a situation could occur. Narcissa felt strongly that action needed to be taken so that such a situation did not ever occur.

As a consequence, Narcissa’s spirited retort to his accusations about the Potter girl and the need to avoid wasting galleons on urchins of no importance had led to a markedly frosty atmosphere at breakfast. 

It was too much for Draco, who’d hurriedly finished his breakfast and quickly left, mumbling something about a letter to Rigel.

What grated even more was that for all his wealth and power Lucius had been of less assistance in keeping his family safe and exiting the stadium without harm than that self same annoying Potter girl. 

Lucius didn’t want to admit that Potter had calmly grounded Draco when the surrounding emotions overwhelmed his empathy, nor that her unorthodox idea and exceptional potion skills had without doubt saved them from a potentially dangerous crush further down the rickety scaffolding.

No, Lucius was incensed, and he was determined to prove, to his own satisfaction if no one else’s, that the girl was not the innocent little unicorn she pretended to be, that she had, in fact, been lying through her teeth. 

\- - - - - - - - - - -

“Hey Lucius!” Sirius’s unashamedly strident voice echoed across the lobby entrance to the St Mungos Children’s Ward. 

Damnit. Lucius had forgotten that today was one of Sirius’s St Mungos volunteering days. Usually he made a particular point of avoiding conducting any of his St Mungos business on those days.

“Fancy meeting you here! I was just talking to Healer Braithewaite about our wonderful joint initiative to deliver life saving potions to children in need, as Harry so aptly describes it. How fortuitous.”

Fortuitous indeed, grumbled Lucius to himself as he serenely strolled across the lobby to meet Sirius and the Healer he’d been talking to. Lucius blinked painfully as he took in Sirius’s robes; they appeared designed purposely to rival Dumbledore’s for eye wateringly outrageous colour combinations and ridiculous design motifs. Thankfully the Healer was wearing the soothingly green robes of a St Mungos Head Healer. 

Lucius inclined his head respectfully to Sirius and the Healer and replied in his smooth and dulcet tones more appropriate to an indoor conversation. 

“Sirius, Healer, how good to see you. It is indeed fortuitous.” It was anything but fortuitous. Lucius had hoped to surreptitiously gain information to disprove Potter’s tale. That was hardly possible with Sirius present. 

Not only was Sirius far from discreet, but Regulus had recently reconfirmed Sirius’s strong attachment to the ersatz family he espoused at the expense of his blood relations. Sirius was unlikely to be anything other than supportive of his pseudo niece.

“Healer Eustace Braithwaite, Lord Malfoy,” the green robed man replied respectfully, bowing appropriately to Lucius in recognition of Lucius’s vastly greater social standing. “I am the Head Healer for the Children’s Ward. It is indeed a pleasure to meet you. Lord Black has been telling me about your proposal. Perhaps we could discuss this in the comfort of my office?”

Braithewaite. Lucius combed his memory for references to the Braithewaite family. Nothing immediately sprang to mind. Not a Book of Gold family. Probably not Book of Silver either. Perhaps Book of Bronze? He didn’t recall any Braithewaites at the Parkinson’s gala. But then, Healers, even Head Healers, tended to have less time for society functions than most. 

Regardless, St Mungos employment policies, tightened somewhat in the last decade by Lord Riddle’s farsighted policies, ensured that the man was from a respectable wizarding family, with a proper British wizarding education.

“Of course, Healer Braithewaite,” Lucius responded politely. 

Healer Braithewaite made polite, inconsequential small talk to Lucius as they walked to the Healer’s office, luckily releasing Lucius from the need to make polite conversation with Narcissa’s annoying cousin. 

“Oi, Eleni,” Sirius shouted down the corridor as he caught sight of another healer he apparently knew. 

Lucius would have facepalmed, if Malfoys were so indecorous as to do such a plebian thing as facepalm. Could Sirus be any more uncouth? Or perhaps he was doing it purposely to provoke Lucius. Regardless, Lucius was becoming rather annoyed. 

Sirius bounded over to her, garish robes swinging about him, still speaking too loudly for indoors. “The very person I wanted to see! Can you come and join us in Braithewaite’s office? I think you’d like to be part of this conversation.” 

Lucius couldn’t hear the Healer’s reply, but it looked like she needed some convincing on Sirius’s part to participate in the meeting. Sirius appeared to have produced a sheaf of parchments and was waving them at the Healer. At least Sirius had finally found his indoor voice.

Gritting his teeth, ignoring Sirius, and trying to remind himself that he was doing this for Narcissa, Lucius followed the Head Healer into his office. 

When the unknown Healer followed Sirius into Healer Braithewaite’s office, some ten or more minutes later, Lucius couldn’t help but notice that Healer Braithewaite looked similarly displeased at the thought of the extra participant in their discussion.

Braithewaite’s office was a large room, luxuriously and tastefully decorated, with plenty of comfortable seating for visitors. As was proper for the host, Healer Braithewaite waited until everyone was seated before beginning introductions. 

“Lord Malfoy,” began Healer Braithewaite, “I’d like to introduce you to Healer Hurst. Healer Hurst has been one of our dedicated volunteers in the Children’s Ward since she retired from St Mungos many years ago to start her family. Eleni, this is Lord Lucius Malfoy, whom I’m sure you know is one of the members of the St Mungos Governing Board, in addition to being one of our more generous donors, and an important member of wizarding society.”

“A pleasure to meet you, Healer Hurst,” Lucius responded, politely inclining his head towards the pleasant faced witch seated across from him. She was wearing green Healer robes, but where the St Mungos emblem and logo would normally be, there was an alternative logo with “Maywell” embroidered instead. She looked vaguely familiar, and Lucius wondered where he might have seen her before. 

“A pleasure to meet you too, Lord Malfoy,” she responded somewhat stiffly. “Lord Black, Head Healer Braithewaite,”

But she was cut off before she could say anything more. Sirius exclaimed as if outraged. “Lord Black?!? Eleni, you wound me. After all the time you’ve known me, I’m still Lord Black to you? Seriously? It’s Sirius.”

“Of course, Sirius,” she replied with a smile, relaxing somewhat. Lucius would have rolled his eyes at his cousin’s antics, but Malfoys didn’t ever act improperly enough so as to indulge in eye rolls any more than they facepalmed.

“And it’s Sirius for you too, Eustace,” Sirius added. “You might be new to the position of Head Healer in the Children’s Ward, but we’ve known each other long enough not to worry about titles. And it goes without saying that I never stand on ceremony with my family, Lucius, regardless of what I think of them, or how frequently or otherwise I see them.”

How typically Sirius, sneered Lucius to himself.

“Well now, let’s get down to business,” Braithewaite said, trying to wrest back control of the meeting from the always exuberant Sirius. “I understand that concerns have been raised with uh, Sirius, and Lord Malfoy about sick children in our hospital being denied life saving potions due to financial considerations.”

Sirius and Lucius both nodded. Healer Hurst was still and silent.

“Let me assure that nothing could be further from the truth. No child attending St Mungos would be turned away from our hospital or refused medical treatment. We are lucky to have generous donors who enable us to provide all the healing services our patients need. Having said that, we welcome your generous donation to provide funds for lifesaving potions. Some rare diseases have rather expensive cures, after all.”

Hah! Lucius knew it. He was vindicated. The Potter chit’s story was a complete fabrication, designed solely to make him look bad. 

Beside him, Healer Hurst bristled. On Healer Hurst’s other side, Sirius placed a calming hand on her arm. He whispered something to her, but Lucius couldn’t make out his words. 

“What about children who can’t access St Mungos?” asked Sirius almost innocently. “As important as the work that St Mungos does is, what happens if sick children can’t get to St Mungos? What happens if they need life saving potions?”

Healer Braithewaite looked slightly dumbstruck. “Why would St Mungos worry about children who are not our patients? We owe no duty under our healers oaths to those not our patients.”

“Quite right,” Lucius added smoothly. “As a member of the Governing Board, I understand just how challenging it can be to maximise our funding so that St Mungos can properly look after all our patients. That’s one of the reasons I’m a proud donor to St Mungos.”

“And I’m sure that the patients of St Mungos, those attending the hospital’s main campus, and those at outreach clinics like Maywell, and at Hogsmeade, thank you for your kind donations,” Healer Hurst said politely.

Lucius nodded at her, appreciative of her gratitude. He vaguely recalled minor line items entitled “Maywell” and “Hogsmeade” on the hospital’s annual budgetary statements. Not particularly significant expenses.

She continued, her voice now cloyingly sweet. “And I’m sure all the patients, particularly those at Maywell, are appreciative of the hospital’s decision to maintain cutting edge interior decoration and expensive artworks in the offices of the Head Healer of each department.”

“Now Eleni,” Braithewaite said, condescendingly, a slight blush on his face as he glanced at the artworks on his office walls, “I’m sure you don’t mean to say in front of Lord Malfoy.” 

“Of course not,” Sirius cut in smoothly, “I know Eleni wouldn’t mean to unknowingly insinuate in any way that St Mungos administration was spending its funding in any way unwisely.”

“Not at all Sirius, I would never unknowingly insinuate that. Of course, I do find it somewhat ironic that the very month I cannot procure Seifer’s Solution for a critically ill child in the final stages of Seifer’s Syndrome, the office of the Head Healer of the Children’s ward are redecorated, yet again, and new artworks are commissioned for the office.”

“An unfortunate coincidence, I’m sure,” said Lucius. Seifer’s Syndrome. Seifer’s Solution. That sounded familiar… Perhaps there had been a kernel of truth to the Potter brat’s tale... Damnit. 

No. Lucius was certain that the little miscreant had been making it up. It must be a coincidence. An unfortunate coincidence, but a coincidence nevertheless. 

Braithewaite coughed uncomfortably. “I’m sure Healer Pennington explained the situation to you at the time. Patients in our wards have priority over those being treated elsewhere. It’s St Mungos Policy and we must comply, regardless of our personal views. Maywell is not part of St Mungos.”

“I understand all too well, Healer Braithewaite,” Hurst’s voice could have cut steel. “Maywell just provides healing services on a shoestring budget to the sizable wizarding population in the Lower Alleys. Thankfully, an anonymous donor procured the potion and Cora was able to make a full recovery.”

Cora. Seifer’s Syndrome. Last minute donor. Full recovery. Dammit. Too many coincidences. Lucius was not fond of eating humble pie, so this was something that he would not be sharing with Narcissa. Not after her performance at breakfast the other morning.

But how had the Potter girl found out about this? It appeared that the sick child lived in the Lower Alleys. Surely Head Auror James Potter would not be remiss enough to let his daughter, a Book of Gold heiress, for all that she was a halfblood, visit the backwater swill of the Lower Alleys?

Braithewaite stepped in to try and salvage the situation during Lucius’s musing. “I’m so glad to hear that the story has a happy ending.” Not that this contribution was particularly helpful in calming Hurst down. Quite the opposite, in fact. 

“No thanks to you, Pennington, or St Mungos,” Hurst spat. 

Lucius could see that she was very angry; it appeared that she had reached the limit of her self control.

“I put Cora’s name down on the list at St Mungos for that potion as soon as she was diagnosed, only to be told at almost the last minute that it wouldn’t be made available due to ‘hospital policy’. There was no need for her illness to reach the critical stage that it did. 

I would have sought alternative arrangements earlier had I known. It was only through the kindness of the community and sheer good luck that we were able to get the potion to Cora in time. 

“Do you know how difficult it is to even find a brewer even capable of making that potion? It’s very magically intensive and requires an extreme level of precision and coordination. And the ingredients are not only extremely expensive but are extremely rare. It’s not like the average apothecary stocks basilisk scales or acromantula venom.”

If Braithewaite could have taken a step or two back from the angry Healer, he would have. As it was, Braithwaite squirmed in his chair, as Healer Hurst’s voice shook with repressed anger. Lucius was glad her tirade was not directed at him.

Sirius stepped in once again to smooth things over. Lucius was surprised to see his usually irreverent cousin-in-law acting so, uh, seriously. 

“Now Eleni. I wish I had known about the challenges you were facing, I would have been more than happy to help. We can at least be thankful that Cora received her potion in time. I’m glad you found someone to donate the ingredients and brew the potion,” Sirius winked at at Healer Hurst, as if it was an inside joke between them, “but luckily, the foundation that I am proposing to establish with Lucius,”

What? Since when was Sirius the one in charge of this proposal? Lucius had been the first to commit funds; Sirius was only matching Lucius’s generosity.

“should be able to prevent situations like poor Cora’s from ever happening again. With your wealth of knowledge and experience, you’d be the perfect person to join me - and Lucius, of course - on the interim Board of the Cora Foundation. ”

“What?!?” Lucius wasn’t about to let Sirius get away with this. 

“Do you have a problem with the name of the Foundation? I seem to recall that it was Draco that suggested that it be named after Cora.”

“No,” Lucius spluttered. “The name’s fine. It’s just that you can’t just invite every volunteer you like to be part of the Foundation. Board members need to know what they’re doing. What experience does a retired Healer housewitch have to run a charitable foundation?”

That appeared to have been the wrong thing to say. The tension in the room was so thick you could cut it with a knife. Perhaps Lucius had put more sarcasm and disdain in his voice than he should have.

Healer Hurst looked beyond ropeable as she whispered something in harsh undertones to Sirius. Healer Braithewaite had fallen silent in the face of Healer Hurst’s wrath. Sirius just looked amused. What had Lucius missed? What did they know that he didn’t?

Sirius turned to Eleni and broke the silence. “Perhaps it’s best if I respond.” He turned to Lucius. “I think perhaps that Healer Braithewaite was perhaps a tad remiss in his introductions. Yes, Healer Hurst has been volunteering at St Mungos in the Children's Ward for the better part of two decades. But before then she was Head of the Children's Ward, here at St Mungos. 

“But most importantly for the purposes of the Cora Foundation, for almost two decades Healer Hurst has been the founder, co-owner and director of the Maywell Clinic. Maywell is an outreach service of St Mungos, established to provide healing services to the wizarding population of the Lower Alleys. It’s funded partly by St Mungos, a consortium of businesses and private donors in the Lower Alleys, and the Hurst family.”

Damnit. Healer Hurst really was the best person for the board of a foundation involved in procuring life saving potions for underprivileged children. 

“My … apologies, Healer Hurst. It appears I have been mistaken.” Lucius hated apologising. Malfoys did not apologise… 

But Lucius hated looking the fool more. Malfoys were not fools. So they apologised when they had no alternative but to apologise or look like fools. 

“I think my experience speaks for itself,” Healer Hurst added, glossing over Lucius’s apology. Didn’t she understand that Malfoys did not normally apologise?

“Furthermore, not only was I Cora’s primary healer, but I have very good connections and rapport with the businesses and communities of the Lower Alleys, and strong links to the Potions Guild. I would be able to contribute far more to the foundation than a political flunky or member of the idle rich with no experience of the world beyond the gilded halls of the rich and pompous, no offence, Sirius.”

“None taken,” said Sirius with a smirk at Lucius. “Now I’d like to get this moving as soon as possible.” He pulled out a sheaf of parchments. 

“I’ve been talking to Remus Lupin about the financial and legal requirements for the Foundation. Remus has plenty of experience with these matters - he’s responsible for managing the financial and legal matters for Marauders Inc, and he’s had this parchmentwork drawn up.”

Since when was Sirius serious about anything? 

Sirius duplicated the parchments and handed them out. “In addition to myself, Healer Hurst and Lucius-”

Lucius interrupted Sirius. An idea had struck him. “In retrospect, I think it best that Narcissa be the Malfoy representative on the Board. I already have many commitments; it would not be fair to the rest of the board - or the children - if I could not give the Board my full attention.”

Lucius was privately pleased with this ingenious and face saving response. It wasn’t untrue; he really didn’t have time for anything else this year - not with all that was planned to happen at Hogwarts - and Narcissa would enjoy the opportunity to spend some time with her cousin. 

Time that Lucius wouldn’t have to spend with Sirius, Healer Hurst, or whoever else they chose for the Board. He didn’t know who else Sirius would suggest, but he knew that Sirius wasn’t going to include the epitome of Dark Pureblood society. 

“Thank you Lucius. I think Narcissa is an inspired choice.”

Lucius hid a smirk. He knew Sirius didn’t particularly want to spend any more time with him than he did with Sirius. It was a win-win all round.

“As I was saying, I think we will need a St Mungos representative,”

Healer Braithwaite perked up at that. “I’d be more than happy to volunteer,”

“And of course, we need a Potions Guild representative, perhaps an apothecary, and maybe a representative from the Hogsmeade Clinic, perhaps someone from the Lower Alleys community …”

The meeting wrapped up soon after. Lucius had tuned out for most of it. It wasn’t often that he felt that someone had bested him. First the Potter brat, then Sirius and Healer Hurst. It wasn’t a feeling he liked.

At least Narcissa would be able to look after the Malfoy interests, and it would satisfy her nurturing nature. 

Lucius did wonder how he was going to explain all of this to Narcissa without her telling him “I told you so.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading. I hope you enjoyed it.


End file.
